National Landslide Preparedness Act Reauthorization Act of 2025
Sponsored By: Senator Murkowski, Lisa [R-AK]
Passed Senate
Summary
Expands and funds national landslide and water monitoring to improve early warning and community resilience. The bill broadens who can take part, aligns flood and landslide rules, and directs the USGS to build a Next Generation Water Observing System for better real-time data and modeling.
Show full summary
- Indian tribes, Tribal organizations, and Native Hawaiian organizations are added as explicit partners and eligible recipients for grants, coordination, and priority-setting. This widens who shapes and benefits from monitoring and mitigation.
- The streamgage program is rebranded as the Federal Priority Streamgage Network and gets new site-priority rules focused on drought, reservoir reliance, hydrologic storage, and flooding. It extends a planning horizon from 10 years to 11 years and protects existing streamgages installed by enactment.
- The United States Geological Survey is authorized to create a Next Generation Water Observing System for real-time water quantity and quality data, expanded sensors, better spatial and temporal coverage, and improved modeling, with an initial multi-basin rollout. Funding for these provisions is tied to USGS appropriations and program authorizations are increased.
*This increases authorized federal spending for monitoring and early warning, raising the streamgage program's annual authorization from $10 million to $30 million for FY2026–FY2033 and tying many funds to USGS appropriations.*
Your PRIA Score
Personalized for You
How does this bill affect your finances?
Sign up for a PRIA Policy Scan to see your personalized alignment score for this bill and every other piece of legislation we track. We analyze your financial profile against policy provisions to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.
Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
6 provisions identified: 5 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
More funding for national streamgages
If enacted, the national streamgage network would get more authorized money and clearer priorities. The bill would authorize $30 million each year for fiscal years 2026–2033, derived from USGS funding. Sites would be chosen with priority for areas facing drought, reliance on reservoirs, reliance on groundwater or snowpack, and flooding or extreme rainfall. Streamgages already installed and operating on enactment would be protected if their data still meet priority needs.
New next generation water data system
If enacted, USGS would create a Next Generation Water Observing System. It would expand real‑time water quantity and quality sensors and modern data tools. The bill would authorize $30 million in fiscal year 2026 for deployment in 10 initial basins, with funds available until spent and derived from USGS appropriations. Priority would go to regions with high drought, reservoir reliance, reliance on groundwater or snowpack, and flooding or extreme rainfall.
Stronger landslide readiness and partners
If enacted, landslide grants would rise to $35 million and run through 2030. At least $10 million would go to buy, deploy, and repair early warning systems in high‑risk areas. Local governments, Indian tribes, Tribal organizations, Native Hawaiian organizations, and colleges would be eligible for grants and for debris‑flow warning work and community committees. The Secretary would create regional landslide partnerships in high‑hazard areas to coordinate research and monitoring. The next national strategy would include an assessment of landslide risks from atmospheric rivers and extreme precipitation. The bill would also add clear definitions for atmospheric rivers, extreme precipitation, and for Tribal, Native Hawaiian, and higher‑education organizations.
Expanded 3D mapping and hydrography work
If enacted, the 3D Elevation Program would cover derivative data and allow processing and integration of data. A 3D Hydrography Program Working Group would be added to coordination. The authorization would extend to 2034.
More partners for USGS water data
If enacted, Indian tribes, Tribal organizations, and Native Hawaiian organizations would be eligible for USGS water data activities. Priorities would focus on regions with high drought, reservoir reliance, reliance on groundwater or snowpack, and flooding or extreme rainfall. Funds to run this work would come from USGS appropriations.
Landslide database upgrades and funding rules
If enacted, the national landslide database would be expanded to flag places needing more study, including areas affected by hydrology changes, atmospheric rivers, extreme rain, geologic activity, and data‑poor zones. Emergency response activities would also cover those risks, plus thawing permafrost and glacial retreat. The Secretary could consult with colleges and the private sector. Agencies would be limited to using their own appropriated funds for these duties, and any amounts later cancelled under 31 U.S.C. 1552(a) would go to the Treasury for deficit reduction.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Murkowski, Lisa [R-AK]
AK • R
Cosponsors
Sen. Cantwell, Maria [D-WA]
WA • D
Sponsored 5/6/2025
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov